I received an email from a reader who asked where to stay in Cappadocia.
D wrote…
“I was wondering, which town should I make my base?
Goreme, Urgup, Uchisar, or…?
Which would be the most quaint (for lack of a better word) town to stay, although, I would love to see all 3 towns mentioned and/or more if possible.
Having said that, I am also interested to see and experience the ongoings of Turkish rural life as well, as I am a photographer and would like to capture the essence of rural Turkey”
Where to Stay in Cappadocia
The answer really depends on your budget because each area has their own characteristics and type of accommodation whether it is budget, luxury, boutique etc. In all of them, you will find rural Turkey but to differing degrees.
Goreme : The Touristic Hub of Cappadocia
If you are looking for cheap accommodation, you will find that in Goreme. This town is also classed as the hub of the region because of the good transport links. There is a wide variety of restaurants and bars and it is close to the Goreme open-air museum, that is the top recommended site to visit because of its UNESCO World Heritage status. From the main bus station, you can get regular transport to the smaller villages to see more of rural Turkey because Goreme has in truth become very touristic.
Uchisar : Luxury Hotels of Cappadocia
If you have no budget, Uchisar is a quaint place to stay. It is not as busy as Goreme but it has its own attractions and great photo opportunities. On my last visit, I stayed at the Taskonaklar hotel and enjoyed wandering the small side streets, which eventually led me up to the castle.
From the castle, you will have an amazing view over the valley and on a clear day will see Mount Erceyes in the distance. I find the lack of facilities i.e restaurants and bars restricting but it is a good place if you have a car. I also walked from Uchisar to Goreme on two occasions, which took me past Panoramic View Point. If walking is not your thing, there is a regular bus between the two places.
Should you stay in Urgup?
A lot of the tour companies stay in Urgup. I stayed overnight on one visit and to be honest was a bit peeved because the restaurant I wanted to eat in, wouldn’t let me in because they were fully reserved for the groups. Other than that, it is a great town. Modern but with good transport links.
Wonder down the back streets to find the old Urgup and more rural Turkey. The area is also well known for its local wine production so arranging a visit to one of the wineries would probably produce some stunning photographs.
Ortahisar : My Favourite Place to Stay in Cappadocia
Originally I had no plans to ever stay in Ortahisar but on my last visit, found the small village to be charming and possibly in terms of rural Turkey, the best option for what you are looking for. I stayed at the Castle Inn, which is a small boutique hotel and the service provided by the owner Suat was outstanding. In terms of local knowledge, he would be a good source for your photography (See the website for Castle Inn here) and when it comes to answering the question of where to stay in Cappadocia, my recommendation is Ortahisar.
